Page 69 of Hearts at War

Hey, that’s actually not a bad lie.

“I don’t trespass,” Nevaeh sassed back hotly.

“You don’t?” Heather asked. “I recall you asking me to help you break into his cabin, so I don’t exactly have a lot of trust in what you say.”

Smart. Sexy. And strong. Heather wasn’t an idiot, and recognizing how Nevaeh couldn’t trick her just made her more attractive.

“But you just saw me. In town.” Nevaeh huffed. “You would know it wasn’t me lurking around here.”

“I’m just...” Heather still looked at me. “I’m just telling it like it is.”

“Why’d you take off like that, anyway? One second you’re pretending to be worried about how I’m doing and offering to buy me a coffee and now you’re running home and not even opening the door to talk to me.”

I blinked, surprised about this news. Heather wasn’t stupid to be conned by my niece, but she still had a good heart to worry about her.

“Come on. It’s cold out here and I just wanna talk,” Nevaeh said.

“Now’s not a good time.” She pressed her legs together and slid to stand. I did, holding her hips to help her down from the high table.

“What do you want to talk about anyway?” Heather asked.

I shrugged at her curious look. It made sense for Nevaeh to look for me. I was her uncle and she relied on me to cave and let her stay on my couch.

“Well, can you loan me some cash?” she called out.

I shook my head. I moved it so vehemently and glared that Heather couldn’t miss my feelings on that request.

Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare give her a cent, gorgeous.

“No.” Heather frowned at me. “If you’re looking for handouts,” she told her sternly, “you’re definitely looking in the wrong place.”

“Wow. You can be such a bitch!” Nevaeh growled and stomped once, then left. The squeaks of that rusty bike were telltale enough that I knew when she was taking off.

Staring at each other, the mood killed, we stayed quiet. For a long couple of minutes, we didn’t move.

“Is she gone?” Heather asked.

I nodded. “I think she biked away.” I walked to the window and pulled back the curtain. There in the distance, I caught sight of her purple and blue hair going further away as she pedaled furiously.

“She’s got the guts to ask you, a stranger, to loan her cash, but she has enough money to somehow have her hair redyed.” I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I let the curtain fall back in place.

“I wasn’t considering—”

“Don’t,” I told her sternly without letting any of my anger and frustration about Nevaeh leak into my tone. I wasn’t mad at her. Minutes ago, I was fucking loving this time with her. “Don’t ever give her money.”

She nodded, crossing her arms. “I don’t make a habit of lowering my guard to begin with, and when it comes to money, I’ve learned to be extra careful.”

This was the first time she’d opened up about herself, but it seemed like a sad, dry admission.

Why are you guarded?

Who hurt you?

Who made you rethink helping others even when deep down it’s your instinct to want to?

She had to be warring with that, pitting her self-defense and guarded nature versus the willingness to assist others. She wouldn’t have made an offer to buy Nevaeh a coffee otherwise. Or run after her when it was cold. Or go along with her to my place, worried about her.

I didn’t need her to tell me another word to understand she still wasn’t in the mood to talk about her past now.